Chime switch



July 6, 1948. M. F. MILLER 2,444,576

CHIME SWITCH Filed March l0, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR. /l////0 /L /W/Y/.e/1

ATTO/@VEZ July 6,- 1948. l M, F. MILLER 2,444,576

CHIME SWITCH Filed March 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /0 fifi' i TTO/QNEY.

Patented July 6, 1948 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE CHIME SWITCH Milo F. Miller, Kansas City, Mo.

Application March 10, 1945, Serial No. 582.070

(Cl. Zim-32) 7 Claims. 1 il This invention relates to switch structures for making and breaking electrical contacts, and has for its primary aim the provision of such an assembly particuiarly adapted for use with chimes Where a number of circuits are to be successively completed.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending case, Serial No. 540,586` led June 16,1944 for Intermittent switch.. now-Patent No. 2,407,571, issued Sept. 10, 1946.

In the construction of electrical circuits for chimes it becomes necessary to avoid arcing at the spaced apart contacts as the movable assembly passes from one to the other. One manner of solving the problem has been set forth in my application just identiiied, and it is the aim of this invention to provide other ways of accomplishing the desired end without the necessity of using complicated and expensive parts and through the employment of elements that are more positive in their action more durable and rugged; and easier to Lassemble and maintain.

.Details of construction, therefore, embody important objects of the invention and these objects will become apparent as the following specicationis applied to ther several gures in the drawings, wherein:

Fig.r 1 is a top plan view of a chime switch made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, with parts broken away to reveal the movable assembly therein.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional View through a chime switch made in accordance with the modified form of the invention. f

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig.` 6 is a sectional view through the movable assembly of a chime switch made in accordance with va further modification of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detailed sectional View taken-online VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line VIII- VIII of Fig. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the movable assembly forming a part of the chime switch made in accordance with a still further modification of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line X-X of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the movable assembly of the chime switch, which is made. pursuant to a still further modification of the invention.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view through a portion of a chime switch made in accordance'with a further modication of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on line XIII- XIII of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 isa fragmentary sectional view illustrating another manner of constructing a p-ortion of the movable assembly forming a part of the chime switch, and

Fig. l5 is a sectional view of another forrnof the invention.

As fully described in my aforesaid-co-pending application, the chime switch comprises a'housing it formed of insulatingmaterial and having an attenuated contact member i8 in the form of a rack meshed with wheel 20.

,A plurality of spaced apart contacts 22 are carried by housing I6 in opposed relation to member i3 and a movable assembly is interposed between member it and contacts 22. This movable assembly is secured to any mechanism for causing the same to travel back and forth along member i8 to successively close a circuit having member i8 and the several contacts 122 therein. A connecting rod 2li attached to any motivating element, serves as the means for moving the assembly.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the said movable assemblyv comprises the hollow wheel 2c formed of conducting material that is always in engagement with member is. A core 25 of insulating material having radial grooves 28 and an annular, continuous groove 30, is fitted within the hollow of wheel 2l) to create a space for the reception of a flowable substance 32 capable of conducting a current. In practice, it has been found that mercury is suitable and that it will always seek the lowermost portions of grooves 28 and 30.

A shaft Sli of conducting material supports wheel 20 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, and the cover 3E of insulating material confines substance 32 in place. A yoke 38 mounts shaft 34 and supports a. brush l0 behind which a spring l2 is disposed to yieldably urge brush 40 outwardly against contacts 22.

The amount of substance 32 is sui'licient to submerge the lower portion of shaft 34 when one of the radial grooves 28 is in a vertical position below shaft 313. These radial grooves 28 have a width slightly less than the outside diameter of shaft 3d, and therefore, when substance 32 is as shown in Fig. 2, a contact is made from mem- 3 ber I8 through wheel 20, substance 32, shaft 34, yoke 38, brush 40 to one of the contacts 22. Core 36 is, of course, positioned with particular regard to having one of the radial grooves 28 reach a vertical position below shaft 34 just after brush 40 has reached one of contacts 22.

The continued movement of the entire assembly by the application of force to connecting rod 24 will turn wheel to a point where substance 32 breaks the contact just before brush passes from contact 22. This action prevents arcing, insures smooth operation, and positively makes and breaks the chime circuit.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the general arrangement of the movable assembly is much the same as just set down. The hollow wheel 44 comprises a pair of opposed sections 46, held apart by insulating material 48 and divided into two compartments 50 by a partition 52 having a -perforation 54 therethrough. The precise form of this perforation 54 is illustrated in Fig. 5 and is of elongated nature, allowing the flow of substance 56 to interconnect sections 46 in timed relation with the arrival of brush 58 upon contacts 60. These contacts 60 correspond to contacts 22 in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

Attenuated Contact member 62 is in the form of a rack and gear 64 is in mesh therewith. This gear is mounted upon shafts 66 extending from one of the sections 46 and a roller 68 is mounted upon the other shaft 66 to ride over a track 10. Thus, equalization of force exerted by spring 12 is insured during the movement of the entire assembly.

Yoke 14 supports shafts 66 and as the entire assembly is moved along member 82, gear 64 will turn wheel 44 and substance 58 will automatically be divided into masses and be allowed to merge into a single mass closing the circuit as perforation 54 reaches a position where its longitudinal axis is disposed vertically and as illustrated in Fig. 5. Thus, such disposition will close the circuit from member 62 through gear 64, shaft 66, sections 46, substance 56, yoke 14 and brush 58.

The timing of this assembly is such as to make the circuit only after brush 58 reaches one of contacts 60.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is slightly diierent from the foregoing forms but is generally adapted to accomplish the same purpose.

The movable assembly in this instance Comprises a yoke 16 similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 4, in that it has a wheel shaped brush 18 to ride over the several contacts 80. Spring 82 yieldably maintains brush 18 against contacts 80 and also holds gear 84 in mesh with attenuated contact 86 that is in the form of a rack. A roller 88 rides over track 90.

Hollow Wheel 92 contains mercury or a similar substance 94, and as wheel 92 is rotated about the axis of aligned shafts 96 and 98, the circuit is made and broken. A plate |00 on the inner end of shaft 96 cooperates with plate |02, rigid to the inner end of shaft 98. These plates are of different widths as illustrated in Fig. 7, and as the wheel 92 is rotated, the wider plate |02 enters substance 94 just ahead of the entrance of plate |00. Such is the manner in which the circuit is actually made and broken. It is obvious that when plates |00 and |02 do not have portions thereof submerged in substance 94, no circuit is made.

The form of the movable assembly shown in 4 Figs. 9 and 10, accomplishes the desired results and forms the broad obj ects of this invention and is made to embody a brush |04 which rides over the several contacts of a suitable housing not here shown. The form of housing and contacts may be as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The gear or roller |06 rides over the attenuated contact and turns cam |08 so that the face thereof will frictionally engage the free end of arm l0 anchored to hollow body ||2. This body ||2 is supported by opposed pintles I I4 and ||6, the inner ends whereof are spaced apart. Substance ||8 closes the distance between the inner ends of pintles ||4 and ||6 when body ||2 is in the elevated position shown in Fig. 9. This body I8 tips downwardly from that said position when the head of arm ||0 rides into the depressions formed on cam |08.

Cam |00 is insulated from roller |06 and drum |20 is in wiping contact with shoe |22 on arm |24. This arm |24 is electrically joined to plntle |6, and pintle I4 is electrically joined to brush |04 through wire |26 and as clearly shown in Fig. 9. Thus, as the entire assembly is moved along the attenuated contact member or rack, the make and break is so timed as to occur after brush |04 is positioned upon one of the plurality of separate contacts.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 11 is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, but the contacts |28 and |30 are moved toward and from each other by a cam |32 rotated in the same way as is cam |08. Brush |34 serves the same purpose as brush |04 and therefore, as cam |32 makes and breaks the circuit, brush |34 arrives at the several contact stations in properly timed relatio'h.

In Fig. 12 the movement of hollow body |36 is caused by head |38. This head reciprocates because roller |40 rides over the specially formed attenuated contact member |42. The several yprojections I 44 on member |42 is such as to cause body |38 to close the circuit as brush |46 reaches one of the plurality of contacts |48. Spring |50 maintains roller |40 against member |42.

In Fig. 14 contacts |52 and |54 are opened and closed by the reciprocation of head |56, which is disposed on the end of shaft |58 that is similar to the shaft which interconnects head |38 and |40 as disclosed in Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 illustrates the manner in which wheel |18 of the aforementioned assembly, may be made with a T-shaped cavity having mercury |82 therein in an amount sufficient to join the ends of shafts |84 when the stem of the cavity is in a perpendicular position above the head of the cavity. When in the position illustrated, the mercury is in the stem and the switch is open.

All of the forms of the invention above described and shown in the accompanying drawings, are capable of fulfilling the broad objects of my invention, and since chime switches require circuit opening and closing assemblies having the lpeculiar characteristics of all the forms disclosed, it will be understood that modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In switch structure for periodically making and breaking a circuit, an attenuated contact member; a plurality of spaced apart contacts; and a movable assembly forming a connection between said member and the contacts adapted to make and break the circuit each time the assembly engages one of the plurality of spaced apart contacts, said assembly comprising a hollow wheel of conducting material in engagement with the attenuated Contact, a core of insulating substance having radial grooves in the hollow of the wheel, a shaft fof conducting material rotatably supporting the core and wheel, a quantity of iiowable substance in the grooves of the said core, said substance having current :conducting properties, and in an amount suicient to ll one groove when the groove is in a vertical position below the shaft whereby to interconnect the shaft and the wheel, and a yoke joining the shaft and the spaced apart contacts as the assembly is moved from one to the other with the wheel engaging the attenuated contact member.

2. A switch structure as dened in claim l, wherein the core has the radial grooves therein in communication with an annular groove at the periphery of the core to provide a passage for the quick flow of the said substance from one radial groove to another Vas the wheel is turned about the axis of said shaft.

3. In a switch structure for periodically making and breaking a circuit, an attenuated contact member; a plurality of spaced apart contacts; and a movable assembly forming a connection between said member and the fcontacts adapted to make and break the circuit each time the assembly engages one of the plurality lof spaced apart contacts, said assembly comprising a hollow wheel of conducting material having a perforated partition in the hollow thereof to electrically isolate two sections of the wheel and form two chambers therein, a shaft rigid to each section and on the axis of the wheel, a i'lowable substance in the hollow of the wheel, `a roller on one of the shafts and in engagement with the attenuated contact member, and a yoke joining the shafts and the spaced apart contacts as the assembly is moved from one to the other, the perforation of the partition being formed to periodically cause the substance to electrically join the two sections [of the wheel as the roller is moved along the attenuated contact member and only when the yoke is in engagement with one of the spaced apart contacts.

4. In switch structure for periodically making and breaking a circuit, an attenuated contact member; a plurality of spaced apart contacts; and a movable assembly forming a connection between said member and the contacts adapted to make and break the circuit each time the assembly engages one `of the plurality of spaced apart contacts, said assembly comprising a hollow wheel of non-conducting material, a pair of shafts disposed radially to support the wheel, an axially disposed plate on each shaft respectively, said plates being in opposed relation, a flowable substance in the hollow of the wheel, a roller ion one of the shafts and in engagement with the attenuated contact member, and a yoke joining the shafts 'and the spaced apart contacts as the assembly is moved from .fone to the other, the plates being electrically connected by the substance as the roller is moved along the attenuated contact to rotate the wheel and only when the yoke is in engagement with one of the spaced apart contacts.

5. A switch structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the opposed plates are of different widths to enter the substance one ahead of the other as the wheel is turned.

6. In a switch structure for periodically making and breaking a circuit, an attenuated contact member; a plurality of spaced-apart contacts; and a movable assembly forming a connection between said member and the contacts adapted te make and break the circuit each time the assembly engages one of the plurality of spaced-"apart contacts, said assembly comprising a wheel of non-conducting material, having a cavity formed therein, said cavity being substantially T-shaped in cross-sectional contour, a pair of shafts cf conducting material disposed radially to support the wheel, one leg of said cavity being disposed m2o-,axially between said shafts and in communication therewith, a flowable substance in said cavity, a yoke joining the shafts and the spaced-apart contacts as the assembly is moved from 'one to the other, and means interconnecting one of said shafts `and the said attenuated contact member for rot-ating said wheel to periodically cause the substance to electrically join the shafts as the assembly is moved along the attenuated member and lonly when the yoke is in engagement with one of the spaced-apart contacts.

'7. In switch structure for periodically making and braking a circuit, an elongated contact member; a plurality fof spaced apart contacts arranged in va line disposed in spaced substantial parallelism to said member; and a reciprocable assembly interposed between yand forming a connection between said member and the contacts, said assembly being adapted to make and break the circuit each time the same engages one 0f the plurality of spaced apart contacts, said assembly comprising a pair of spaced apart conductors, a shiftable element adapted to contain a quantity of lowable substance movable to and from a position for closing the space between the conductors as the element is shifted to thereby complete the circuit, and 'co-acting apparatus forming parts Iof the elongated contact member and the shiftable element respectively, for actuating the shiftable element to and from the space closing condition in timed relation with the arrival bf the movable assembly on each `of the plurality of spaced apart contacts, said parts being .operably interconnected whereby the said element is shifted as the assembly is reciprocated.

MILO F. MILLER.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '792,195 Christmas June 13, 1905 861,006 /Vickwire July 23, 1907 1,380,316 Curtiss May 31, 1921 1,747,469 Doeppler Feb. 18, 1930 

